The Government's decision to highlight different qualifications is to be
welcomed; we need to compare like for like, says Antony Little

Schools have become massively obsessed with equivalences in recent years and, consequently, so too has the media and now the Department for Education.

Very few issues, even by Mr Gove’s standards, are likely to cause a rumpus in the staffroom like pitching subject-against-subject.

What’s harder – History or Geography? Is Business Studies really on a par with Science? Can you compare English Literature with Media Studies? And what of the qualification itself? Can we really judge a GCSE against a BTEC?

The case for the defence goes roughly like this; all qualifications should be treated with equal weight, they all have similar value and just because we assess different skills in different ways doesn’t mean they aren’t equally as valid.

In fact, there are some who take this further; leaping up and down, declaring that anybody who believes a BTEC is worth less than a GCSE is, by implication, suggesting vocational subjects are worthless.

The case for the prosecution is that some qualifications and their forms of assessment are harder. It is simply impossible to equate the content and workload of a qualification in “horse care” with that of a GCSE in German, Physics or History. Therefore, opponents claim, we are confusing employers and patronising students by suggesting otherwise

To some extent they may have a point. I, like many others, will remember when some of the Diploma qualifications introduced by the previous Labour government were said to be worth 4, or even up to 7, GCSE grade Cs.

Come on, they weren’t really “worth” that but they were certainly worthwhile qualifications which have a part to play in our curriculum pathway. The students I taught got a lot from it and really benefited from the skills.

It will therefore be very interesting to see what difference the Government's decision to split those qualifications up in the league tables and other accountability measures has.

Schools that have relied heavily on alternative equivalent qualifications are about to have the rug pulled from under them, whilst those who ploughed on with a solid core of GCSEs will find they shot up when measured against the national average.

Much of the institutional antagonism we have seen in recent years will be sorted out. Some schools blame other schools for “game playing”; pushing their kids through a couple of easier BTECs, picking up the GCSE equivalence scores and seeing their school shoot up the league tables, whilst another school sticks to a core of tough GCSEs providing an academic suite of subjects and taking the rough with the smooth on that.

The current situation makes schools look at each other with “league table envy” and suspicion.

The change in the measures and league tables isn’t just about helping schools though, it is about being honest with parents. We want to compare apples with apples and pears with pears. I know some will think otherwise, but this isn’t about saying which type of fruit is better.

I find myself in the odd position of thinking that this might be the best compromise possible – almost. You see, under these plans we can finally start to talk about these qualifications as being what they are – different but valued. .

Stop trying to say that “David Beckham Studies” (insert outrageous subject here) is the same as GCSE Maths. It isn’t. But for some pupils, with certain needs or specifics plans in life, it is important and valuable

Leagues tables are, at best, blunt instruments. Just because you send your child to an “outstanding” school with great results, doesn’t mean that every teacher is outstanding or that every lesson taught therein will be either. But league tables are a good way of suggesting something about our schools and standards.

The changes being made to DfE league tables will return a bit of honesty to how we measure educational standards. It will allow parents to make informed choices; for example, if you want your kids to have a broad vocational education it will help you to choose the best school to provide that.

For years, parents have looked at league table raw scores and who would have blamed them for scratching their heads and wondering what it all means. Now a bit of much-needed clarity has been added to the system. Long may it continue.

Antony Little teaches History & Politics and is assistant head teacher at a large comprehensive in Norwich